Bearing steel

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bearing steel comprising at least 0.6 percent by weight of carbon, 0.007 percent by weight or less of phosphorous, and optionally other alloying element(s); the balance being iron, or iron and impurities. The present invention also relates to a bearing consisting of the bearing steel.

1 . A bearing steel comprising at least 0.6 percent by weight of carbon, no more than 0.007 percent by weight of phosphorous, with the balance being other alloy elements and one of iron, or iron and impurities. 
     
     
         2 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1  wherein the amount of phosphorous is 0.007 percent by weight. 
     
     
         3 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of carbon is 0.6 to 1.5 percent by weight. 
     
     
         4 . The bearing steel according to  claim 3 , wherein the amount of carbon is 0.8 to 1.1 percent by weight. 
     
     
         5 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , further comprising sulphur in an amount of no more than 0.02 percent by weight as alloying element. 
     
     
         6 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , further comprising aluminium in an amount of no less than 0.015 percent by weight or above, as alloying element. 
     
     
         7 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , further comprising molybdenum in an amount of 0.1 to 0.7 percent by weight as alloying element. 
     
     
         8 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , comprising 0.9 to 1.1 percent by weight of carbon, 0.003 to 0.007 percent by weight of phosphorous, 0.5 to 0.7 percent by weight of molybdenum, 0.002 to 0.016 percent by weight of sulphur. 
     
     
         9 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1  wherein the bearing steel has a bainitic structure. 
     
     
         10 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloying element(s) are selected from the group consisting of Si, Mn, S, Cr, Ni, Mo, V, and Al. 
     
     
         11 . A bearing comprising bearing steel having at least 0.6 percent by weight of carbon, no more than 0.007 percent by weight of phosphorous, with the balance being other alloy elements and one of iron, or iron and impurities. 
     
     
         12 . The bearing according to  claim 11 , wherein the bearing has a material thickness of 45 mm or below. 
     
     
         13 . The bearing according to  claim 11 , wherein the bearing has a material thickness of no less than 45 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1  wherein the amount of phosphorous is in the range of 0.004 to 0.007 percent by weight. 
     
     
         15 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , further comprising sulphur in the amount of 0.002 to 0.016 percent by weight, as an alloying element. 
     
     
         16 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , further comprising molybdenum in an amount of 0.4 to 0.7 percent by weight as an alloying element. 
     
     
         17 . The bearing steel according to  claim 1 , further comprising molybdenum in an amount of no less than 0.5 and up to 0.6 percent by weight as an alloying element. 
     
     
         18 . The bearing according to  claim 11 , wherein the bearing has a material thickness of 15 to 45 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The bearing according to  claim 11 , wherein the bearing has a material thickness of 45 to 80 mm.